5 Critiques of Athlon Sports’ season preview for the Louisville Basketball team
By Derek Snyder
Louisville’s Front-Court, Part Two:
This is what Athlon Sports had to say about Louisville’s front court:
"“The Cardinals are considerably stronger at forward. Deng Adel, a sophomore, struggled with injuries last season, but Pitino says he believes Adel has the talent to become the Cardinals’ best player. Adel, 6’7″, is a powerful slasher who must improve his 3-point shot after hitting only seven (in 20 attempts) last season. Raymond Spalding, a sophomore, and Jaylen Johnson, a junior, provide options at power forward. Spalding is a better defender, with the quickness and wingspan to defend away from the basket. He averaged a modest 5.6 points per game last season but hit 56.0 percent from the field. Johnson is stronger and plays with more grit. He’s likely to become Louisville’s best low-post scorer, but he scored in double figures only one time against an ACC opponent last season.”"
There are many people around the Louisville basketball program who absolutely love the player that Deng Adel is maturing into. He should have more opportunities to play and grow this year, which will have huge implications for the Cards in the future.
Spalding and Johnson are also guys who have been able to play a lot over the past year. Johnson and Spalding have had their flashes of greatness and moments of poor basketball. However, if they both can be more conisistent then the Cards could have a very good season.